IN THIS ISSUE:

The Feed: China recalls have little impact on copier industry
The Top 7: Interview tips for job candidates
News In Brief: Announcements from Canon, Ricoh, Savin, and more
Q&A: Desert Images owner John Zaccaria talks with Copier Careers
Job Listings

THE FEED

Recalls of Chinese Imports Unnerve U.S. Consumers
Document Imaging Industry Keeps Its Cool

What does Iams Beef and Vegetables in Gravy for Small Dogs canned food have in common with Mattel's Polly Pocket! Quick Click Movie Time Playset? 

A few things come to mind.  First, both small dogs and small children are likely to put these products into their mouths.  Second, if dogs or kids do chew on either item, they'll be (yikes!) at increased risk for organ damage. And third?  You guessed it: both products are of Chinese manufacture, and they were part of two of the year's most publicized product recalls.

Every year in the United States, millions of recalls are issued, yet few grab the public's attention as abruptly and completely as did the recalls of melamine-contaminated pet food and lead-tainted toys during the spring and summer of 2007.  Years ago, Chinese products carried the stigma of being poorly made.  But that was then.  Today, China is the world's fastest-growing economy, and the "Made In China" stamp is as ubiquitous as it is innocuous.  In spite of the recent spate of recalls and the related concerns about the safety of Chinese goods, most American consumers haven't bothered to revise their buying habits.  And why should they, when they can buy a Chinese-made DVD player for $29 dollars? 

In the copier industry, a growing percentage of equipment and parts are being manufactured in China.  Jason Thomas of NA Trading and Technology, a manufacturer of OEM-compatible copier parts and supplies, says that this shift has been economically-driven: manufacturing costs in China are simply much, much lower than they are in the U.S. and other post-industrial nations.  "China is reaching its industrial revolution, and with that the Chinese are going to take on more and more manufacturing from everybody in the world," Thomas says.  "The U.S. can't afford to do its own manufacturing anymore because people demand too much money for minor-level jobs." 

NA Trading and Technology manufactures many of its parts in Beijing, at a factory that it wholly owns.  But according to Thomas, the recalls of pet food, toys, and other Chinese-made goods – many of which are made at Chinese-owned factories – haven't had any effect on customer confidence in NA's products. "We haven't seen any...backlash from our customer base as far as the China market is concerned.  It's been years since I've heard that argument.  [Our customers] recognize that everything's coming out of China now, so saying that a product doesn't work because it's from China isn't realistic." 

David Harding, service manager for United Office Systems in Marietta, GA, agrees with this assessment.  "I have no fears or concerns in dealing with equipment manufacturers from China," he says.  Harding adds that where a particular product is manufactured actually has little impact on its quality.  "Your aftermarket sources, a lot of those are American-made stuff," says Harding.  "And we wouldn't purchase them because of their quality – we'd go with them because of their price." 

Overall, the general feeling throughout the industry is that it's not where a product is made that's important, but rather how it's made.  As Thomas puts it, "In any industry, there are people who are good at what they do, and people who are out to make the cheapest [product] and make their dollar and run.  Do I know of any Chinese-manufactured product that has had a massive recall lately?  No."  

THE TOP 7...Ways to Ace an Interview

Tips from the trenches to keep your copier career on track

This month we asked a group of owners and managers, "What can a job candidate to do impress you in an interview?"  The advice that follows grew out of their responses. 

1.  Be honest.  The managers we spoke with consistently listed "honesty" as the most important quality an applicant can possess.  This applies not only to truthfulness in reporting verifiable facts about your background and past performance, but also to truthfulness in the way you express your attitudes and opinions.  Hiring managers can spot a rehearsed "canned answer" a mile away.  Keep your answers spontaneous and real, and you'll come out ahead of the competition.

2.  Express genuine interest in the dealership you're interviewing with.  Do your homework: learn as much as you can about the company before the interview, and make sure you can articulate why you'd like to work for that particular company (instead of for, say, the dealership down the street or the bank across town or your cousin Ronnie in the widget business.)  Nothing is more attractive to hiring managers than applicants who have a sincere interest in joining their organization. 

3.  Get certified.  For technicians, this is a must-have.  Copiers don't just make copies anymore, and dealerships can no longer afford to hire technicians who don't have the requisite training.  Having the right certification is the best way to establish your credibility with a potential employer. 

4.  Be confident.  Demonstrating confidence in your abilities is essential for any job applicant, and even more so for candidates applying for sales positions.  To paraphrase one manger, if a candidate can't sell himself in the interview, how can we expect him to sell copiers in the field?

5.  Be likeable and be positive.  Interviewers are human, too.  No matter how qualified you may be for the job, if the person conducting the interview doesn't like you, you're not going to get hired.  Nobody likes a whiner.  Complaining about previous jobs, bosses, or co-workers is a big no-no, and complaining about anything else isn't a very bright idea, either.  Employers are looking for people who solve problems, not people who seek them out.  Your mother's advice bears repeating here: if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.

What can you do to increase your likeability quotient?  For one, it wouldn't hurt to smile once in awhile.  Nothing says "I'm likeable" like a well-timed grin.  (Just don't overdo it – nothing says "I'm crazy" like a grin that won't go away.)  Another way of improving rapport with the interviewer is to ask questions about the company or the job.  In addition to showing that you're interested in the business, asking questions of the interviewer gives him or her a chance to speak, taking the pressure off of you and allowing the tone of the interview to become more conversational than it would be if you were doing all the talking.  Ultimately, however, the best way to ensure that the interviewer likes you is to relax and be yourself.  Unless being yourself means being rude, obnoxious, or otherwise off-putting, you'll be just fine. 

6.  Call Copier Careers. If you're a candidate working with Copier Careers to find the right job, help us help you by calling your recruiter after the interview for feedback and follow-up.  And if you haven't yet enlisted our help in matching you with the right job, what are you waiting for?  Call us today at (888) 733-4868 or visit us at www.copiercareers.com to learn about current job openings in your area. 

7.  Talk about your involvement in local events and organizations.  What employees do on their own time is their business, but who would you rather hire: the guy who coaches Little League, takes Spanish classes, and organizes neighborhood trash clean-ups, or the guy who spends his free time in the basement watching Star Trek reruns and infomercials?  Employers want interesting employees with diverse interests, and membership in professional and community organizations is a great way to demonstrate how well-rounded you are.  This tip comes with a caveat, however: interviewers are prohibited from asking personal questions, so if your involvement in an organization will give away information about your race, religion, marital status, sexual preference, age, disabilities, or ethnic background, it's probably best not to mention it.  It's great that you're a member of the Association of Pregnant Disabled Gay Scandinavian Unitarian Fortysomethings of America.  Just don't bring it up in the interview. 

NEWS IN BRIEF

Copier Careers Publishes New Industry White Paper.  "The Times They Are A'Changin': Sales Compensation in the Copier Industry" offers an in-depth look at current trends in sales compensation.  The white paper explains how today's dealers are paying their sales reps, why they structure their compensation plans as they do, and what that means for the future of the industry.  Read this and other white papers online at www.copiercareers.com. 

Canon Unveils New imagePROGRAF Large Format Printers.  The imagePROGRAF iPF9100 and imagePROGRAF iPF8100 will replace the imagePROGRAF iPF9000 and iPF8000 models, and will incorporate an 80 GB hard drive and the newly reformulated Gray, Photo Gray, Black and Matte Black LUCIA inks for enhanced monochrome prints. The imagePROGRAF iPF9100 and iPF8100 printers will be available through authorized Canon U.S.A. dealers in November 2007.

Ricoh Introduces the Aficio SP W2470 Wide Format Digital Printer.  Designed for compact spaces, the Aficio SP W2470 delivers two-roll paper feeding and a large range of capabilities that help improve productivity while keeping the total cost of ownership low. The suggested retail price for the Aficio SP W2470 is $15,203.

Xerox Wins Seven-Year, $82 Million Document Management Contract with EUROPART, Europe's leading commercial vehicle parts distributor.  Xerox Global Services will manage the German company's office and production print services, invoice processing and customer service centers.

Q&A with John Zaccaria, owner of Desert Images in Yucca Valley, CA

John, how did you get your start in the copier industry?
I had some friends that were technicians at Savin Corporation and I was always very mechanically inclined, so becoming a technician myself just seemed to be a natural transition.  That was 27 years ago.  I opened Desert Images in January of 1996.

Why did you decide to open your own dealership?
For two reasons.  The first is that I was commuting two hours to a dealership in another city, and I wanted to work closer to home.  And the second is that I was seeing a low standard of customer service in the industry – customers just weren't getting the value for their dollar in the service end of things. 

What's the best thing about your job?
I love getting to work with my oldest son.  He's our service manager here. 

What has been your best day in the industry?
I recently received a contract from the American military for 101 units.  That was a pretty good day. 

And your worst day? 
I'm not sure I know how to answer that question.  I haven't really had a worst day.  I've been pretty lucky so far. 

Do you have any advice for people just starting in the industry?
Be true to your customers.  I think that in our industry, selling value and being honest in all transactions is the key to building a successful dealership.  

JOB LISTINGS

Sales Representative - Louisiana

Field Service Technician - Riverside/Palm Springs, CA

Sales Representative - Springfield, MO

Sales Representative - Northern VA/DC/MD

Field Service Technician - Seattle, WA

Selling Sales Manager - South Carolina

Canon Field Service Technician - Long Island, NY

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